The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-03-31
THE STANDARD.
JOHN FL. MACKIEY
EDITOR.

EDIToR.
Rev. John Snyder has a very able
article on Prohibition in the last num-
Der Of that excellent magazine, The
Forum. That is, il is an able article
on one side Of the question-the sa-
loon side. The Rev. John, in his
agony over the suppression, or rather
the attempted suppression of per-
sonal liberty in this country, is moved
to remark:
"But prohibition obstructs, in so
many ways, the rights Of the innocent
and law-abiding citizen, it NEEDLES
with the social and personal privileges
of so large number of people, that
it may be not unfairly. described as
revolutionary in its character and
purposes. So
Well, let us take the Rev. Johns
side Of the question, and attempt to
deduce the argument to sustain the
position: There came to Jackson
county, some few years ago, gentle
man named Samuel Fraley, from the
State of Kentucky. This gentleman
did not remain long in this neighbor-
hood until he took sudden notion to
depart, without so much as leaving
his address. His liberties were threat
ened, and he was compelled to fly in
order to preserve them. Time were
on, and Samuel returned, a few
months ago, to Jackson. No sooner
had he arrived than the revolutionary
and lawless people seized upon his
person and placed it in the County
Jail. At the recent terri of Court
this same lawless and revolutionary
people prosecuted still further this
man of personal liberties, and wound
up this unjust persecution by requir-
ing that the Court order him shut up
in the Penitentiary for life. The
Court took the side of Justice, how
ever, considered the mitigating cir
cumstances, and sentenced him for
ten years. Think Of it! Where are
Sam. Fraley's liberties? Was not
this Court, and this people, lawless
and revolutionary?
Oh! There is another matter to be
considered in this connection, is
there? So there is. That is, that
just before leaving here, Fraley blew
the life out of man with shotgun
We have law prohibiting one man
from blowing another's heart out
with shotgun. pistol, blunderbuss,
or any other form Of deadly weapon,
and it has been fully shown that this
awful Prohibition Law deprived Sam.
Fraley of his liberty. According to
the Rev. John Snyder, the way to
stop murder would be by education
alone He claims that the Christian
influences keep pace with the evils of
Intemperance, and that the evil will
be sufficiently combatted in that line,
and in that way. DR.. John is un-
doubtedlY knave or an ignoramus.
Let us suppose that a town has had
half dozen. chu urches, with as many
earnest ministers, and that these min
listers have been laboring earnestly for
two years, and we at once come to the
conclusion that a vast amount Of good
has been accomplished. But let US
go little further on the line of sup
position, and suppose that some fellow
opens up a doggery in that town.
That one doggery will do more harm
in two years than would offset all the
good work Of all the churches for the
same length of time. Any close OBJ
server Of this internal business knows
this to be true, and that this is draw
ing it mildly.
New as to comparing the case we
quoted in the beginning with the
doggery-keeping interest, the COM
parison is perfectly fair to the latter
class. It would be far better for any
community to have murderer run
ming at large than to have a doggery.
The only liberty that could possibly
be endangered by the passage of a
Prohibitory Law is the liberty of
iiiquor-dealers in destroying humanity,
and the liberty Of men in lowering
themselves to the level Of the nastiest
brutes. And here is a man having
the amazing effrontery to sign him
self "Rev." in q public print, and tax
ing the ground that an evil ought not
to be wiped out because it has so
many victims! Such doctrine as that
advocated by Rev" John Snyder
comes directly from the doggery and
the Devil. It is Satan's favorite ar
gument. "Be mani" says Satan, ''do
not permit your manhood to be COM
promised, or your liberties destroyed"
What an argument, even for the
Devil! What an ergument, even for
Rev. John Snyder!
We are not advocating the doctrines
Of any political party, when we say
that a law prohibiting the murderous
liquor traffic is just as fair, and just as
reasonable, as law prohibiting muir
der, horse-stealing or highway rob-
berry. The liquor business is crime,
just as much as human slavery was
crime, and more deadly and far-reach-
ing in its effects.
Our Republican exchanges are dis
cussing the place to hold the State